Van Doren Book 8: Kairo by Crea Reitan

 

Van Doren Book 8

Every heart hides something.

He walks into my office like he has a right to be here. Unfazed and unbothered by my sharp words and thorny exterior, Malcolm challenges everything I know. Somehow, he breaks down my walls and I’m laid bare before him. 

There’s nothing more terrifying than exposing my vulnerability so when I force him out of my life to protect my heart, I realize there are some things that being a Van Doren alone can’t fix.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250436343-kairo

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Kairo’s turn! I’ve been looking forward to his story for a while. Kairo has come off as prickly and a jerk through a lot of eyes. Though in recent books, it looked like everyone was starting to realize something. That he isn’t what he appears. And he may be hiding who he is behind a very tall wall. But no one has been successful getting past his defenses. Until Malcolm. Malcolm is a survivor of a very messed up game. He owes the Van Dorens for getting him out of there and they’ve helped him give him a new purpose. So when Jalon asks Malcolm to go to Chicago and see if he can help Kairo a bit, he goes. But mostly because he is very curious about Kairo himself. He may have heard different things about Kairo, but he won’t judge until he gets there. And to his surprise and delight, Kairo feels like his. Now to prove it to him. To earn his trust and show him that Malcolm sees everything he is hiding about himself. And that Malcolm can take care of him, be there for him… if he lets him. I loved this story! It was so great to finally know more about Kairo and see the big heart he desperately hides. And Malcolm is absolutely perfect for him. This was just a great story all around!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Van Doren Book 7: Arath by Crea Reitan

 

Van Doren Book 7

Be careful what you ask for.

Elgin Bolingbrook is drunk and in the wrong place at the wrong time. The mistaken target for a gang lands Elgin in my protection. He’s cute, confused, and so ridiculously responsive to me that I quickly become addicted. 

As we close in on the gang who’s after Elgin, I realize that once we eliminate the threat, I’m going to lose the man I enjoy playing like a violin.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/250436102-arath

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

When Elgin ends up at the wrong place at the wrong time, he never imagined where it would lead him. Arath Van Doren is in charge of Philly. Keeping it safe with his team, they track a local gang who are trying to make a name for themselves. And lucky for Elgin, Arath is at the right time to save him from being shot. But now that gang thinks they have to take out Elgin. Arath won’t let that happen. Elgin knows he should probably object a bit to being a bit of a “hostage” to Arath, but he can’t seem to find a reason to care all that much. Arath has awakened something in Elgin he has never felt before and he isn’t ready to let it go just yet. And for Arath, well he definitely addicted to Elgin and letting him go isn’t an option either. These two were pretty funny. We got a willing hostage and a protective caveman, but they were definitely cute. It’s always fun to get a Van Doren brother story! And I loved seeing this one extended after having read a sneak peek of it. You definitely don’t want to miss these two!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful and Beastly Book 1: A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost

 

Beautiful and Beastly Book 1

New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this dark fantastical retelling, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.

Raine Stone was the sole survivor of a horrific creature while camping. Her account of the attack was attributed to shock, but Raine knows all too well that her story is true because now she carries that same Beast inside her!

She’s been restraining its violent urges by letting it 'feed' on the pain and chaos she’s exposed to as an ER nurse, and by playing vigilante against would-be muggers at night. But when Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal a frail elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack, she opens herself to a new world of danger—literally.

Remington “Remy” Byrne knows that the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very thin; he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. He also rules the supernatural creatures living in secret among us. Raine’s Beast makes her an intruder on Remy’s territory, but the elderly gentleman she saved is Remy’s grandfather, and her Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if Raine allies with him.

Will they be friends or foes…or will the dangerous attraction between them turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240019965-a-curse-of-beasts-and-magic

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

A great start to this new series by Jeaniene Frost! Raine has a problem. One that started eleven years ago. There is this Beast inside of her, and no matter what she does, it won’t go away. So over the years she has done everything in her power to control it and feed it to keep it tame. The Beast craves violence, and Raine has found ways to provide it. But one night changes her future. After she helps an old man from being attacked and heals him with her powers, Remy comes to her door. Turns out, she isn’t the only magical being in the world. The world is filled with them and there are some rules and guardians. Remy is a Warden. Basically keeping balance and providing some order between magical creatures and the unknowing humans. And turns out, he knows what Raine is and he may just be able to help. So they strike a bit of a deal. But there are other grabs for power going on in the world around them and they’ll need to work together. All the while trying to figure out what is sparking between them. A really great start to this whole new urban fantasy world! I really loved getting to know Raine. She is exactly what you would expect out of a Jeaniene Frost heroine. Sassy, smart, and brave. You never knew what she would do next. A great match to challenge Remy at every turn. A great story all around and I can’t wait to see what happens with these two next!

Dark Olympus Book 10: Shattered Gods by Katee Robert

 

Dark Olympus Book 10

She was Olympus's Queen. Its sacrifice. Its savior. Its destruction.

Long ago, Circe was Hermes' entire heart. The two women lived on the outskirts of Olympian society, content with a quiet life away from the spotlight. Then Circe caught the eye of Zeus…and was forced into a marriage that would take her freedom, her future, and in the end, her life. In the wake of the tragedy, gossip swirled about the woman Zeus married and (allegedly) murdered…but in time, everyone forgot about beautiful, tragic Circe.

Everyone but Hermes, who vowed on that day to bring Olympus to its knees.

Now, fifteen years later, a new Zeus rules the city, a new Hades protects his people, a new hope dawns…and Hermes has begun to think there may be things about Olympus worth saving. With Atalanta by her side―and slowly rebuilding her heart―Hermes may finally be ready to set aside her fury and seek the city's rebirth instead of its total annihilation. But there is a beautiful devil on Hermes' other shoulder: a devil who rose, blood-soaked, from where Zeus left her for dead years ago. A devil who has waited all this time to have her revenge.

And no matter their past, no matter the desperate love they once shared, no matter the complicated triad forming between the three women, Circe will not rest until all of Olympus lays shattered at her feet…and the gods help anyone who gets in her way.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240468760-shattered-gods

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

The final book of this series has arrived! And we finally get Hermes’s story. It’s been a long time coming to see what she has been up to all this time and her exact plans. And her past. Hermes’s goal has been to take down the Thirteen. To build something new. But then Circe arrives unexpectedly and it disrupts her plans over and over again. Add in the fact that Hermes thought Circe was dead. And they have quite the past. And right now, Circe is making moves to take the city. She may think she is helping but her ways only lead to death and destruction. Lost in her vengeance. She must be stopped. But that’s not easy. Then we have Atalanta. Hermes’s friend who also loves Hermes. Though they have never acted on it. Knowing that they had a bigger agenda. But the time to hold back from the one you love is no longer an option. Not even any day could you be your last. A pretty wild ride this last one. I was trying to figure out early on how Hermes, Circe, and Atalanta would end up together while also trying to figure out how this story could possibly end with those characters we have come to love remaining intact. At lot goes down in this final book, but the ending is what Olympus needed. A fun series all around. I’m sad to see it go!

Desert Elite Hockey Book 1: Blue Line Collision by Christie Gordon

 

Desert Elite Hockey Book 1

I came to celebrate my call-up to the NHL playoffs. I didn’t expect a rockstar to turn my world upside down.

Evan Crosby

After five years grinding in the AHL, I finally get my shot with the Coyotes.

The playoffs are my chance to prove I belong in the NHL.

No distractions. No mistakes.

Then I walk into a bar in Scottsdale to celebrate…

and lock eyes with him.

Ronan Vale—dark hair, sinful eyeliner, and a voice that’s haunted my playlists for years.

A rockstar who looks at me like I’m the only man in the room.

I’ve always dated women.

My career is hanging by a thread.

And the last thing a playoff rookie needs is a scandal.

But the way Ronan touches me?

The way he makes me feel?

Suddenly the biggest risk of my career isn’t on the ice.

It’s falling for him.

Ronan Vale

Fame taught me one thing—never let anyone close enough to break you.

Music is safe. Touring is safe. Casual hookups are safe.

Then Evan Crosby crashes into my life—sweet, nervous, and completely new to everything I am.

He says this can’t be real.

That his career could shatter if anyone finds out.

But the way he kisses me tells a different story.

And when the final buzzer sounds on his playoff run, he’ll have to decide.

Protect the career he’s fought for…

Or risk everything for a love neither of us saw coming.

Blue Line Collision launches the Desert Elite Hockey series and spins off from the Desert Ice Hockey and Desert Football worlds. Inside you’ll find a bisexual awakening, a closeted playoff rookie, a broody rockstar, secret hookups, found queer hockey family, and a love that hits harder than a body check.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249429448-blue-line-collision

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

Evan has finally been called up from the AHL to NHL for playoffs. Now he just has to prove to them that he deserves to be there and if he is good enough, they’ll sign him for next season. So his goal? To be focused and put everything he has into doing well in the playoffs. But he never expects to meet Ronan. A member of a band he loves and for them to have such a connection. Evan has never been attracted to a guy before, but Ronan is different. And the idea of staying away and not getting to know him or be with him? Well, that may prove to be impossible. Ronan is was never one for a relationship, especially with his career. So imagine his surprise when he meets Evan and everything changes. Being with Evan can be complicated. Evan has a lot to prove and they can’t afford the media to find out they are together. But the one more time they spend together, the harder they fall. And it may just be worth the risk. Great start to this new series. A rockstar and hockey player may be an unlikely combo, but these two prove they are just perfect for one another! 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Necessary Roughness Book 1: The Comeback King by Riley Hart

 

Necessary Roughness Book 1

Lucas

To my dad, Hunter King is a football prodigy destined for greatness.

The son he always wanted.

To me, Hunter King is the guy I’ve loved most of my life.

The guy who happens to be my dead brother’s boyfriend.

We were kids when Hunter came into our lives—the boy with the skill my brother didn’t have and the drive I lacked. The one who was always kind to me, who cared about my photography when, to my dad, it was a hobby, not worth anyone’s time.

Looking at the world through the lens of my camera is the only thing I’ve ever wanted.

Other than Hunter King.

Hunter

I would be nothing without the Blakes. Coach Blake nurtured my football talent from high school through college and now professionally. For all intents and purposes, he was my father. And when I started dating his son Ellis, it felt like I truly became part of the family.

But since Ellis died, nothing feels right anymore—not even the game I’ve always loved.

Until Lucas walks back into my life.

With each lingering touch, I feel sensation returning. Every kiss breathes air into my lungs. And for the first time in three years, it feels like my heart starts beating again.

But with every embrace, I’m betraying Ellis’s memory. The media, my team, Coach Blake will all condemn me. I’ll no longer be their Comeback King. I’ll be the man who is sleeping with his dead boyfriend’s brother.

Yet none of it is enough to make me stop.

The Comeback King is the first book in a new series. You can expect big feels and a secret relationship with pining and learning to love after loss.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249491561-the-comeback-king

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

Hunter feels he owes a lot of his success in the NFL to the Blake Family. Ellis became his best friend when he had moved to town, Ellis’s dad made him feel like one of his sons, especially when Hunter and Ellis became more than friends. But then three years ago, Ellis died in a tragic accident. And since then, Hunter hasn’t been the same. His game is suffering and it shows. And then Lucas walks back into his life. Ellis’s brother. Nothing like his brother and treated so poorly by his father, Lucas reminds Hunter there is life outside of football and to find his love in the game again. But Hunter can’t help but feel guilty and like he is betraying Ellis. Especially when things between him and Lucas heat up. However, Hunter also knows he can’t stay away. Not with how Lucas makes him feel. Lucas has always had feelings for Hunter. But he learned to shove them down. It didn’t matter. Hunter was his brother’s best friend then boyfriend. Hunter was the son his dad always wanted. But seeing Hunter again after so long? His heart can only take so much. Especially when Hunter has never expected Lucas to be another other than himself. He knows they may not have a future, but he’ll hold on to Hunter for as long as he can. Such a great story to kick off this new series! I really loved getting to know Hunter and Lucas and watch them fall for one another so hard. They balanced each other and you could see how these two should have always been something. They brought one another back to life a bit and find the joy neither believed they deserved. A really great story all around. And I can’t wait for book two!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Home Ice by Saxon James

 

TAI

Ten years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life. 

When Hawke left for the NHL and my hockey dreams went up in smoke, I ghosted my best and longest friend. It made sense at the time, but there hasn’t been a day where I haven’t missed him. 

So when we run into each other again, and his only response is “Do I know you?”, I know I deserve it. But I refuse to let one mistake keep us apart forever. Especially when he has bigger problems, and I’m in a position to help him.

JENSEN

All I wanted this offseason was to spend my time relaxing–not getting an emergency phone call from Mom to come home. My hometown is full of too many memories of me and Tai so I avoid returning there as much as I can. 

But now I have one more memory to add to the list: my high school girlfriend. 

And the kid we apparently had together. 

Kasen hates me and thinks I abandoned them, and my only way to get to him is through his coach. My ex-best friend. The friend that has been impossible to forget. No matter how much I’ve tried.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245238546-home-ice

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

The last thing Jensen wanted was to go home. But when he receives shocking news, he has no choice. Turns out, he has a son. Fourteen years old and the kid just lost his mom in a car accident. And what kills Jensen is that no one ever told him. But convincing Kasen that he didn’t purposely abandon him is a whole challenge in itself. Because the moment he meets Kasen, Jensen knows that he wants to be there for his kid. If Kasen will let him. And to do that, he may need a little help from the one person that hurt him ten years ago. Ten years ago, Tai ghosted his best friend without a word. What he was going through, he couldn’t let Jensen know. Tai needed to be home to help his dad and gave up his dream to play in the NHL. And in giving that up, he just couldn’t make himself be there for Jensen. But he has regrets. And he knows that Jensen has every reason to be angry with him still. But when Jensen returns home, they are given a chance to set things right. And in doing so, they may realize that what was between them was so much more than simply being best friends. Loved this story! Just so good all around. Big shocks may have hit Jensen and knocked him down for a minute, but he got back up. I loved how he didn’t give up on his kid and gave himself a chance to do what he would have always done had he known about him. And I loved that he got his best friend back and even more, once him and Tai actually talked about their past. Their chemistry was so strong even before they went from friends to more. And I loved seeing them find their way back to one another. Great story all around! 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.